Downtown was the place for an early ‘Bondphile’ to see 007 in Houston

Did Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan ever do this for Houston movie patrons? I think not.

If you happened to be standing in line in the 1960s to see a James Bond film in Houston, perhaps you were able to snag this handout given to film goers.

My dad was given the above photo while waiting to see “Goldfinger” at the Metropolitan. Now, to be honest, it’s not a photograph, but more like a copy of a photograph. The signature doesn’t appear to resemble Connery’s signature either. But, hey, let’s see if you get a “signed” photo of Daniel Craig while waiting to see “Skyfall” this weekend.

Anyway, though Oct. 5 was the 50th anniversary of the premiere of “Dr. No,” which introduced the spy to film goers, 007 wouldn’t appear on film in Houston until early May 1963 at the Loew’s.

“From Russia With Love” premiered in Houston at the Majestic on May 13, 1964. In her review, Houston Chronicle amusements editor Mildred Stockard said “devotees of Ian Fleming will find this picture greatly to their liking.”

“Goldfinger” opened on Christmas Day 1964 followed by “Thunderball” on Dec. 21, 1965, at the Loew’s. By then, as the Chronicle’s Jeff Millar noted, the character became less of a super spy and more of a superman.

From the Dec. 22, 1965, Chronicle:

The best critical opinion I’ve heard of “Thunderball” the new James Bond movie at Loew’s State, was expressed by a Bondphile behind me as Sean Connery was singlehanded[ly] polishing off a school of bad-guy SCUBA divers: “Aw, come on.”

(You know, I heard the same thing when I saw “Goldeneye” at the Cineplex Odeon on West Gray.)

“You Only Live Twice” premiered in Houston on June 21, 1967, followed by “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” on Dec. 19, 1969, both at the Loew’s State.

As the downtown theaters disappeared in the early 1970s, later Bond films would open at the various multiplexes across town.